The Ocean View Town Council voted 4-1 Oct. 14 to expand the town’s drinking hours to match state standards.

The change moves last call from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. in town, and allows alcohol to be consumed until 1:30 a.m. instead of midnight. The owners of The Salted Rim previously asked the council to consider the change so they could serve local workers leavings shifts and keep up with the steadily increasing growth of Route 26.

“The reason I think we initiated all this was to add more to the community,” Salted Rim owner Rick McGee said.

Entertainment, such as televised sports, is moving later into the night, McGee noted. This change requires his business to change, as well.

As an example, McGee discussed the Baltimore Orioles, who have been successful this year, providing a boost to local bars. But under the old law, McGee couldn’t serve alcohol during the entire game.

“The O’s are in the World Series. The other night we couldn’t watch the 9th inning before midnight,” he said. “Games are earlier, entertainment’s later, it’s a new day, it’s a new change. We just want to be a part of it.”

Councilman Bill Olsen voted against the ordinance, and several members of the public came to speak against it.

“I really question what benefit this is for the residents of Ocean View, to have the alcohol consumption hours extended,” Steve Edmonds said.

With the new ordinance, bars in Ocean View will stop serving alcohol an hour earlier than bars in neighboring Bethany Beach, potentially causing a situation in which people drinking in Bethany head down the road and continue drinking in Ocean View, he said. Extending the hours will damage the image of the community, he argued.

“It’s a family area, it’s a family atmosphere,” Edmonds said. “I think this will just encourage people to consume more alcohol and be out on the roads later in the evening.”

“I know that the only constant is change,” said resident Gregg Wilgos. “I think every community does, it’s to be expected. But I think one thing we can recognize for this change to take place is that there will be a different crowd that comes together to have drinks at dinner than goes to the bar.”